Arne Slot faces Cody Gakpo conundrum as Liverpool consider new-look midfield

Below is a summary of the full article. Click here for the full version from Echo or go back to LFC Live.

Liverpool Echo IconSportFootballLiverpool FCLiverpool are next up against West Ham United in the Premier League with Arne Slot facing some selection posersLiverpool strengthened their claims for a top-four finish with a dramatic victory at Nottingham Forest on Sunday. Alexis Mac Allister scored his first league goal of the campaign in the seventh minute of additional time to move the Reds level on points with Chelsea in the race for Champions League qualification.Arne Slot's side will now aim to maintain their gradual Premier League progress when they entertain relegation-threatened West Ham United on Saturday afternoon.And here we look ahead to the changes Reds head coach Slot could make when his team are next in action.READ MORE: 'I fully agree' - Virgil van Dijk makes Liverpool mentality point after Nottingham Forest dramaGomez on standbySlot has attempted to keep changes for Premier League games to a minimum in recent weeks.

And while Liverpool have six days to prepare for the West Ham showdown, the Reds boss will be mindful it represents the first of seven key games in 22 days.Alisson Becker is now the number one between the sticks in all competitions ahead of Giorgi Mamardashvili and Freddie Woodman, and is likely to remain so barring injury for the remainder of the campaign.While left-back has seen some rotation, Milos Kerkez is the preferred choice in the Premier League with Andy Robertson having started only twice in the top flight in almost three months.Ibrahima Konate and captain Virgil van Dijk are the first-choice centre-back pairing with Giovanni Leoni out for the season and Joe Gomez the first reserve.Gomez, though, could now be required at right-back although Slot has stated Jeremie Frimpong is expected to come back into consideration this week after almost a month out with a groin problem.Dominik Szoboszlai started on the right of defence against Forest but was moved into midfield on the half-hour, with Curtis Jones instead underlining he could be an option by playing most of the game there. Conor Bradley and Wataru Endo are both out with long-term injuries while Calvin Ramsay has yet to make a career appearance in the Premier League.Szoboszlai switchThere was plenty of reshuffling in the Liverpool midfield on Sunday, initially prompted by the late withdrawal of Florian Wirtz from the number 10 role with a back problem.Slot is hopeful Wirtz will be fit to feature against West Ham, with Jones and later Mac Allister occupying the role in the German's absence.Szoboszlai has also been the attacking midfielder this season but could be pressing to break up the regular double pivot axis of Ryan Gravenberch and Mac Allister having impressed in the deeper position at the City Ground.Teenager Trey Nyoni has made a handful of brief Premier League outings from the bench but Liverpool's options are further limited with the ongoing absences of Endo and Stefan Bajcetic.Ngumoha in?Liverpool's forward line has remained unchanged for the last four games, but an underwhelming showing by all three regulars puts them each under threat of being benched.Hugo Ekitike tired again at Forest with Cody Gakpo and Federico Chiesa - who started the FA Cup win over Brighton - alternatives down the centre.Both Gakpo on the left and Mohamed Salah on the right were substituted on Sunday with 17-year-old Rio Ngumoha's cameo strengthening his claims for a first Premier League start on either flank.Chiesa is also another option out wide, while Wirtz and Szoboszlai also stepped out of midfield into withdrawn wing positions earlier in the season.Liverpool FC